Category Archives: European Ancestors

(Advent 12) – Learning and Reading

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Julie Goucher

The way we each learn is different, I prefer to write notes, so for me I am likely to recall something if I wrote it down having read it or heard it. There is a plethora of genealogical and historical … Continue reading →

Posted in European Ancestors, Genealogy, Introduction to One-Name Studies (Pharos course 901), One-Name Studies | Leave a comment

(Advent 8) – Help at Hand

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Julie Goucher

The Genealogical community, both on and offline is in the main a friendly one, where sharing knowledge and ideas for research is given freely and frequently. The internet has shrunk the world to the size of a matchbox, with interactions … Continue reading →

Posted in France, Genealogy, One-Name Studies | Leave a comment

European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (6)

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Julie Goucher

Not all Germans who had made their home in the newly acquired land fled into the central area of Germany. Some hoped that having land annexed to Soviet Lithuania would mean that Lithuanians would be safe. Alas, Stalin Russia did … Continue reading →

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European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (5)

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Julie Goucher

In the last post I mentioned the Potsdam Agreement. This was an incredibly important element to the planning of post war Europe. As we have seen over recent days, the movement of people, plans of nations and restitution of countries … Continue reading →

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European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (4)

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Julie Goucher

Today we are going to take a step back and explain how there were so many Germans in the area in the lead up to 1944. The Nazi’s had made partial plans in terms of the occupation of the region, … Continue reading →

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European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (3)

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Julie Goucher

The Klaipeda region was a mandated territory of the League of Nations in 1920 as laid out in the Treaty of Versailles and was  unified with Lithuania during the period of 1923-1939. Between 1944 and 1948 there was a steady … Continue reading →

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European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (2)

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Julie Goucher

Where is Lithuania Minor? It is a historical ethnographical region of Prussia. The name acquired due to the majority of the population in the region speaking Lithuanian. Until 1945 the land was part of Prussia which was held, at various … Continue reading →

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European Ancestors – Migration into, and out of Prussia (1)

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Julie Goucher

After the last significant plague epidemic that took place in East Prussia in 1709-10, and following religious disturbances in south west Germany, Austria, and France, King Fredrick I devised a way to attract Lutheran settlers to the region. Many accepted … Continue reading →

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Researching European Ancestors?

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Julie Goucher

Next week my Tracing Ancestors from Continental Europe course begins – 7 May 2024. The course runs over five weeks. Like all Pharos courses there is a weekly session where we can come together, to share research questions, frustrations, hints … Continue reading →

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Researching in Europe – Why History Matters

Posted on December 28, 2023 by Julie Goucher

At the end of each Pharos course students are invited to leave feedback. I review the feedback and try to take on board the comments made. One student felt that there was a lot of attention to history of Europe … Continue reading →

Posted in European Ancestors, France, Genealogy, Understanding France Series | Leave a comment